BJPs first Bihar candidate list signals calculated caste engineering

NEW DELHI: In a state where caste calculus defines electoral outcomes, the BJPs first list of 71 candidates for the Bihar assembly elections is a textbook exercise in political social engineering. Released amid intense jockeying over seat shares within the NDA, the list reflects a sharpened strategy to retain core voters, recapture lost ground, and counter emerging threats while sparing no effort not to alienate the traditional upper-caste supporters. The partys approach is notably caste-calibrated. Of the 71 candidates, a significant portion, around 50 per cent, hail from Dalit, OBC, EBC, and other socially deprived backgrounds. The inclusion of 9 women candidates, spanning multiple caste groups, reinforces the BJPs messaging around inclusive representation, a counter to the oppositions social justice plank. Yet, conspicuous by their absence is any Muslim representation, which is widely seen as the BJPs continued reliance on Hindu consolidation in a state where Muslim voters are a decisive force in nearly 50 seats. The list repeats sitting MLAs and top leaders, including the two current Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary (fielded from Tarapur) and Vijay Kumar Sinha, along with former deputies Renu Devi and Tarkeshwar Prasad. However, it also drops senior stalwarts like Nand Kishor Yadav and Amrendra Pratap Singh, signaling a generational shift and caste recalibration. A surprise re-entry is Ram Kripal Yadav, a prominent OBC face and former Union Minister, now fielded from Danapur, an RJD stronghold dominated by Yadav voters. His selection appears aimed at eroding the RJDs OBC base, particularly after his defeats in Patliputra to Misa Bharti. The BJP is attempting to dent VIP leader Mukesh Sahnis influence over the Nishad community by fielding Rama Nishad, wife of former MP Ajay Nishad, who recently returned to the party fold after a ticket denial. New faces, too, reflect social and political rebalancing. The inclusion of former JD(U) MP Sunil Kumar Pintu, ex-bureaucrat Sujit Kumar Singh, and turncoat Congress MLA Siddharth Saurav demonstrates the BJPs willingness to absorb defectors with local clout and caste relevance. A detailed caste breakdown reveals, 20 OBCs, 11 EBCs, 7 SC/STs, 15 Rajputs, 11 Bhumihars, 7 Brahmins, 1 Kayastha, 4 Yadavs, 8 Vaishyas, 3 Kurmis, and several others. This may be the BJPs most caste-diverse list since 2010, designed to blunt Mandal-era narratives while preserving its Savarna base. With this list, the BJP hopes to counter claims of caste injustice and elite dominance. Its success will depend on whether this careful mix of castes and communities actually turns into real voter support in Bihars divided political landscape.